Race-piece.



T. F. KIRWAN.

RACEPIECE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1912.

1,286,346., I Patent ed Decp3; 1918.

3 VIM WW Tex om Ram THOMAS r. Kmwan, OFJERSEY our, new JnssnY.

RACE-PIECE.

weenie.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. KmwAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at 14 Wegman Parkway, Jersey City, county of Hudson, and StateofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRace-Pieces, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in platformbridges, commonly termed race-pieces, and the object to provide a safeand rigid race-piece that may be used to bridge the gap between two carsor between the platform and a car for use when transferring merchandisefrom one to the other.

A further object is to provide a gangway secure from creeping orlongitudinal movement which is commonly caused by the vibration ofheavily loaded trucks during their passage over the bridge or gangway.

The object of the invention is attained by providing a race-piece withstops to butt against the platform or floor of the car and with means inthe form of a gripping jaw, whereby the end or ends of the gangway maybe held in firm contact with the floor and by also equipping thebridging-board with upper and lower centrally disposed transversecross-pieces which prevent the said board from splitting.

The invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawing inwhich Figure 1 is a side view of my improved race-piece; Fig. 2 is anend view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the device as used tobridge the gapbetween two freight cars.

Although the device is shown and described as a race-piece for usebetween two cars it is obvious that it may be used for any other purposeas between a platform and a car.

Referring to the drawing, A is a board or race-piece having reinforcingshoes a and a applied to its ends; band I) are upper and lower metalstrips located centrally upon the race-piece and transverse thereto.Such strips are secured by any number of rivets 0. On the under side andat any desired distance from the ends of the race-- piece. ll providemovable gripping jaws or clamping arms d and d. The said arms are heldmovably upon pintles e and e" secured in bearings f and 7, such bearingsSpecification of Letters Patent. Patent Application filed May 3,1917.serial No. 168,128.

a being fastened to the underside the race- Thefree ends 9' piece bysuitable bolts.

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and (7 of the arms. are pointed andproject nearly to the ends of therace-piece.

On the. under sideof therace-piece be tween its ends and the bearingsfor the h by suitable bolts, such bearings having pintles i and 2"arranged to carry threaded members 7' and j mounted loosely thereon. Thefree ends of such members pass downwardly through slots is and k inthearms, and hand-wheels Z and Z having internally threaded hubs m and mare applied to the free ends of the threaded members. The hubs of thehand-Wheels have beveled edges n and 02.

At suitable distances from the ends and upon the under side of. therace-piece are provided downwardly extending portions Or lugs 0 and 0 toform stops. Such stops may be formed by stamping a V-shaped piece fromthe shoe and bending the same downwardly at right-angles thereto.

My improved race-piece is held in position for use in the followingmanner The gap between two cars is bridged by placing the ends of therace-piece upon the edges of the floors of the opposite cars so that thestops will butt against the edges of the said floors. When therace-piece is in this posit on the ends of the clamping-arms are beneaththe floors of the cars.

The hand wheels are then: screwed upwardly until the beveled edges ofthe hubs clamping armsare secured bearings h and l thereon engage withthe under sides of the in position and preventing it from any creepingor longitudinal movement. The

transverse metal strips aiford great advan-- tage in prolonging theusefulness of the race-piece inasmuch as they prevent the board fromsplitting as commonly occurs from the great strain and vibration winchthe passage of heavily loaded trucks subject a a a the race-piece.

Having. thus set forth the nature of my invention what is claimedtherein iS 1. A. race-piece for bridging the gap be a tween two carscomprising a board, clampmg yaws arranged upon the under s1de of thesaid board, the said jaws being hinged at' one end to the said board andhaving their opposite ends pointed, swinging threaded members arrangedto pass through slots located approximately midway between the ends ofthe said jaws, hand wheels having internally threaded hubs adapted toscrew upon the said threaded members and contact with the j aWs to forcethe same into contact with the under sides of the'fioors of the carsboard having stops spaced fromeach end thereof, swinging clamping jawshinged to the under sid'e'of the board and havingtheir free endspointed, each clamping jaw bemg provlded lntermedlate its ends W1th aslot, screw members p1votally secured to the under side of the board andextending through the slots in the clamping jaws, beveled nutmembersthreaded on the screw members forengaging the jaws and forcing 'them mtooperative position for coopera- THOMAS F. KIRWVAN.

Oopies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressingthe0emmissioner 0! Patent! Washington, D. O."

